Elven
by Hopeful Wings
Summary: A young man discovers a heritage and a destiny in Middle Earth that he could never imagine in his wildest dreams. Rated PG for fight scenes and some blood. Nothing graphic.
1. Prelude: Desire

Considering what a big fan of Lord of the Rings I am, it's actually kind of surprising I haven't written a Fanfiction about it before this. Out of numerous day dreams and long hours spent on everything LOTR, this Fanfiction was born. I hope you can enjoy it, strange child of mine though it may be.

**Disclaimer**: I have no illusions, and I won't deceive myself because I certainly can't deceive anyone else. I obviously do NOT own Lord of the Rings. It belongs to the revered Mr. Tolkein whom I admire too much to steal it from. Any characters or settings you do not recognize from the books or movies have been spawned out of my extremely random mine, and belong to me unless otherwise stated, which it will not be.

**Prelude: Desire**

_Come back to us, fair one…_

In the middle of the forest, footsteps fell silently on a sacred path. Amidst the whispers of the trees and the songs of the birds, _they_ gathered. Their robes swayed with their graceful movements. Necessity carried them down long untrodden ways. Each walked a separate path, yet all came together with the same purpose.

_We need you, fair one…_

In the _Cuandar_ they gathered. Five different paths, five different lives, converging. Ageless eyes locked, heads bowed in greeting, five figures drew near. One stepped forward and spoke.

"**It is time.**" His voice was strong and sure.

"**It is time.**" The others murmured in assent.

_Soon you will hear us, fair one…_

_Slide. Fit. Draw. Release. Slide. Fit. Draw. Release. Slide. Fit. Draw. Release. _

One last arrow. Rae slid it out of his quiver, slowly, almost reverently. In one fluid motion, he fit the arrow to the string and drew it to his cheek. Keen hazel eyes sighted down the shaft at the target, hundreds of yards away. Nine other arrows already decorated it like the quills of a porcupine. Rae drew a slow breath and exhaled it. He held his body perfectly still, muscles taut and ready. He prepared to release the string, when something caught him off guard. A tendril of air caressed his cheek and slid by his ear, sounding uncannily like a whispered voice. He lowered his bow, slightly unnerved. The forest was unnaturally quiet around him. The birds had quieted and the tress had fallen silent. He pivoted on his heels and faced down the path he had tread when coming to this spot. Nothing moved, nothing breathed. He held his breath, waiting warily in the silence. Then, the dead leaves at the far end of the path stirred and a gust snaked down the path. It blew past his head, lifting chocolate brown hair as it passed. And once again, Rae thought he heard a voice.

It was like the rustle of the leaves in a breeze. The words were faint and unintelligible. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. It felt as if the forest had eyes, and all were turned on him. He could feel their gaze, and a will power behind it, breaking to contact him. The forest… it was almost as if it was trying to speak to him.

He loosened the string on his bow and let the arrow drop unceremoniously to the blanket of grass at his feet. It bounced once, twice, and the spell was broken. A bird sang in the distant, and time began to flow once more.

Rae stared stupidly at the carbon-shafted arrow lying at his feet and tried to comprehend what had just happened. He glanced at the evening sky and his eyes widened. It was that late? He snatched the arrow from the ground and placed it in his quiver. Once he had retrieved the other nine, he set off at a brisk jog down the forest path.

How long had he been in the forest? All day, it would seem. It surprised him that he had lost track of time. He was usually not so absentminded. But lately…

Something had shifted, changed. It had started on his eighteenth birthday, three weeks before. First, it had been an uncanny longing for the forest. He began to spend every free minute in its inviting depths, content just to wander its myriad of paths. A desire had awoken in his blood. It was not for this forest, though he loved it much. Rather, for something similar to it, something connected to it. And he never felt whole unless he was somewhere lost in its heart.

The desire had grown to almost unbearable heights, so that he was only content in the forest, and then he still yearned for something else. And somehow, the forest felt different. It felt… alive, like a living entity. He had come to this forest for as long as he could remember, to practice his archery. As a kid, he and his friends had played in it, pretending they were knights or pirates. But while they had slowly drifted away from it, he had been bound tighter by its sweet spell.

When he had taken up serious archery, at the age of eight, it had been the only place suitable for practice. But ten years later, when he could drive to bigger and better places to shoot, he still felt drawn here. His heart was tied not to the forest, but something unknown that it represented.

Every since he had begun to spend more and more time in the forest, his family had become worried about him, and his friends, critical. His mother became exasperated when he could come up with no reasonable explanation for spending all hi time there. Archery was a reason, of course, but she had long since begun to hate it and how her son loved it. According to her, he spent too much time with that "toy bow chasing fool dreams." But the truth was, archery had also seemed to call him.

When he had started shooting, he felt as if he was picking up an art that he had long since mastered, but hadn't practiced in a while. His shooting was extraordinary, and he felt it was more than the insane amount of time he spent practicing. He had an innate talent for it.

Archery had, over the years, become not only a pleasure but a healing balm. It soothed his mind and soul. His hands seemed made to hold a bow and he felt empty without it. Over the last few nights, he had awoken with his hand clasped tightly around his bow. And, coming home from a long day at school, the sight of the gleaming length of wood comforted him.

Often, when he was forbidden to visit the forest and could not sneak out, he would sit with it in his hands and le his mind wander. When he came home from school, he would dash to his room, grab his bow, and head to the forest. He had began to come back later and later, and the night before he hadn't been home until ten, when his mother had called his cell phone and demanded he return. He woke early in the mornings to practice before school, and spent the entire day on weekends in the forest. Sometimes, he forgot to eat meals.

As he stepped out of the forest, a wave of longing washed over him. It was so strong; it took all his will power to resist it. Every cell in his body ached to return. The forest was calling him, no, whatever it was the forest represented whatever it was his body ached for, called him. And once again, he heard a soft, whispering voice in the rustle of the leaves.

_We are waiting for you, fair one._

I hope you had as much fun reading it as I had writing it. The next chapter should be out soon. I appreciate any reviews.

Hopi-chan the Pirate-Ninja


	2. Chapter One: Blood Ties

Well, are you intrigued? I hope so. The plot picks up in this chapter, and a lot will be revealed next chapter, so I hope you stick around.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Lord of the Rings.

Rae slipped quietly through the screen door and slid it shut behind him. He winced as it clicked softly shut. He knew that his mother would be furious. He'd been at the forest from sun up to sun down without telling her where he was going. A soft tap on his shoulder caused him to jump in surprise and spin around.

A girl with long, chestnut brown hair and stormy gray eyes stood with her arms on her hips, tapping her foot. She glared fiercely at him in all her thirteen years of glory. A chagrined smile fell onto Rae's face and he lifted his hands in front of his body as if to ward off an attack.

"You were gone all day again!" The girl huffed, gray eyes flashing.

"Calm down, Syd! I'm sorry, I lost track of time." He waved his hands and smiled apologetically.

"Yeah right!" Sydney shot back at her brother. "You never spend any time with me anymore. It's always 'forest this, forest that.'" A suspicious gleam crossed her eyes.

"Do you…have a girlfriend?" She questioned.

"No!" He replied quickly. She seemed relieved. A moment later, a pained expression crossed her face.

"I feel like I don't even know you anymore." She said, her head turning downwards and her arms dropping to her sides in defeat. "That stupid forest is stealing you away from me."

Rae dropped his head in shame.

"Syd, I'm sorry, I…" Before he could get the rest out, a woman stomped into the entryway waving a spatula and shouted.

"Rae! How dare you! Every waking moment you're at that forest! I won't have it anymore! What about your family? You don't care about anything anymore but that forest!"

"That's not true!" Rae shot back defensively. It _wasn't_ true. He didn't care about the forest more than them. The truth was, he couldn't stay away from it. There was something connected to the forest, something that the forest reminded him off, that had bound him tighter than blood.

"Oh? Well, regardless, I forbid you to ever set foot there again!" She yelled and, to make her point, glared stubbornly at him and huffed back into the kitchen.

Rae felt as if someone had punched the wind out of him. Never go back? He couldn't! All of a sudden a sharp pain rose in his breast. He grunted and clutched the area over his heart. To never go back… would be to kill a part of him. His heart beat wildly, the pain in sync with it. He ground his teeth. No. He had to go back. He _would_ go back.

Slowly, the pain subsided. Yes, he had no choice. No matter what, he could never leave the forest.

Rae stood in the middle of his archery clearing, soft moonlight filtering down upon him. He was barefoot, and wearing only his boxers and a tank top, the clothes that he slept in. The grass felt fresh and soft beneath his feet and he shivered slightly in the ticklish breeze. Contentment swelled in his heart and he felt now, more than ever, that he belonged to whatever this forest stood for.

A soft rustle on the path behind him caused him to turn around. It was too dark to see all the way down the path. He peered closely, his heart beating in anticipation. For a single moment, nothing stirred, nothing moved. It was if time itself had frozen.

Then, it happened. A burst of wind shot down the path, making a straight trail through the dirt and gathering fallen green leaves as it sped towards him. His eyes widened in surprise, but before he had time to react, it had reached him.

The gust split in two about six inches before it reached him and met at the other side, spinning in a miniature cyclone at his feet. Leaves swirled around in it as the gust climbed to waist level.

The trees began to move and sway, their branches jumping to an unheard rhythm. A sharp, white light burst in Rae's head and he dropped to his knees, overwhelmed by dizziness.

The swirling winds began to congregate in front of him, rushing in ovalular patterns around a brilliantly shining ball of light like electrons around an atom. The light swelled in intensity and Rae felt something inside him answer its call. Soft, pure light radiated from around him.

The wind whipped his hair and clothes fiercely, but he was oblivious. For the first time, he felt whole and alive. His whole body sung with joy and anticipation, every pore filled to the brim with light and a wonderful sensation.

Something inside him shifted and changed, and the light glowing around him was sucked into the ball of light in front of him. It glowed all the brighter, and the wind around it whipped faster.

A leaf sliced his cheek and a line of blood appeared. He reached up a hand, but didn't wipe the blood away. As if in slow motion, a single, crimson, drop of blood fell from his face and dropped into the ball of light.

Light and wind burst forth from the ball, plunged everything in a blanket of white. The trees shook in response, barely audible above the noise of the wind. It blew past Rae's face, filling him with a strange light, glowing inside of him.

The gust and bright light died down, but Rae could feel whatever it was he had gained inside of him pulsing with sweet joy and filling him with life like he'd never felt before. He waited, but it stayed with him, and felt that this new power had always been a part of him, only just awakened.

And there, floating in front of him, was a pendant-like jewel. It was white and oval shaped, with gleaming bands and trails of silver crossing around and over it. It was the size of his thumb and pulsed in tune with his heart.

Slowly, the pulsing stopped and Rae outstretched his hands beneath the jewel. It floated into his palms and flashed brilliantly once more before fading to an almost unnoticeable glow. His fingers closed over it. Whatever it was, it was as much a part of him as his arms or legs and had been created from him, from his blood.

He closed his eyes and savored the moment. Suddenly, the world shifted.

Rae bolted upright in his bed. His body was covered in sweat, and the covers were soaked in it. He gasped in great breaths of air. And, inside him, pulsed that same light he that had been awakened in his dream.

His eyes trailed down his chest, and there, lying against his skin, was the strange pendant, hanging on a fine silver chain, glowing softly.

Sydney looked up as Rae came down the stairs and swung into the kitchen. She frowned as she watched him pour himself a bowl of cereal and sit down to it.

Something was different about him. Something she couldn't put her finger on. He just… felt different. The air around him was alien to her. He noticed her staring and caught her gaze. His eyes… Those were not the same eyes that had greeted her last night. They were ageless, full of emotion and something else she couldn't put her finger on. They seemed almost… magic, ethereal.

"Um, Syd?' His voice broke her out of her reverie. He was studying her curiously, a questioningly look plastered on his face.

Yes, it was her brother alright, but something about had changed. She forced a smile, hoping it didn't look to fake. Those unearthly eyes bored into her for one breathtaking moment, radiating suspicion. Then he shrugged and went back to his cereal.

She nibbled on her slightly burnt toast and her eyes caught something. What was that he was wearing? It was a strange pendant of some kind. If she looked hard enough, she swore it was softly glowing. He hadn't had that last night, had he? No. She was sure she would have noticed it. And he never wore jewelry. Why start now?

"Where'd you get the necklace?" She asked, gesturing to it. He looked up, startled, glanced down at the necklace, and back up at her.

"Oh, nowhere. Just kinda…found it. You like it?" He watched her again, this time his eyes wary.

"It's nice." She replied softly. He nodded. An awkward silence fell between them.

"So, what are your plans today?" He ventured. Sydney eyes him cautiously.

"Well, I was gonna go to the mall with some friends. You?" He seemed startled that she returned the question.

"Well, I…" He stopped mid-sentence, a far-away look entering his eyes. Then, just like that, he stood up and ran swiftly out the door. Sydney sat, staring blankly at the empty chair across from her, than got up and chased after him.

Rae lengthened his strides, increasing his already frantic speed. The forest… something was calling him. That voice… like the rustle of the leaves in a breeze.

_It is time, fair one…_

In the air he felt it, on the wind that kissed his cheek. In the trees he saw it, written in the green of the leaves. In his footsteps he heard it, pounding to a mysterious rhythm.

_Finally, fair one…_

Something was about to happen, something great and wonderful and mysterious. Something that would change his life. And the forest was calling him, reaching out its leaf laden arms to embrace him, its voice guiding him.

_Come to us… _

_Come…_

_Come…_

_COME._

And then, he was there, sprinting down the familiar path, a burning desire to know swallowing him up. He stumbled into the clearing, panting hard and struggling to breath. The trees swayed and moved, like they had in his dream. Their voices rose in a song, sung in an unknown language.

_It has been long since your kind strode beneath our branches. _

The song had stopped, and a single, intelligible voice replaced it.

"My kind?" Rae asked, spinning in a circle, trying to find where the voice had come from.

_Yes. It is time you return to them, fair one. _

"Return to them? And why do you keep calling me 'fair one'?" Rae finally stood still, his search for the origin of the voice unsuccessful.

_It is what you are. _

"Where am I going?" Rae asked, curiosity overriding any fear.

_To join them. To join the fair ones. _

As soon as the last syllable faded away, all of the trees began to rustle their leaves and creak their great wooden branches. A bright light brought Rae's eyes downward and she saw his pendant gleaming, floating off his chest.

Wind began to gust at his feet, like in his dream, carrying leaves along with it. His feet lifted off the ground and he stared down in surprise. He cried out, but the roaring winds drown his voice out. It gusted all around him, lifting him higher and higher until he was three feet off the ground.

His pendant shown wildly, and he began to feel a tingling, numb sensation creep over his body. Confusion shown in his wide eyes. Then, unimaginable pain shot through his body. It seared up his veins, filling every cell of his being. He shrieked in pain, his cry ringing throughout the forest, and beyond.

Darkness fell upon him like a shroud, and he knew no more.

Sydney heard her brother's cry; she heard the pain in his voice, the suffering. Her feet flew over the dirt path, as fast as she could make them go. Her single coherent thought driving her forward. Rae.

She reached the clearing and her heart stopped. There he was, caught in a cyclone of wind and leaves. The trees moved as if they were alive and dancing to a melody. The pendant he wore shown like the sun, flooding the whole area with pure, white light.

Sydney cried out and tried to move forward, but the raging winds pushed her back. She fought relentlessly, her will urging her forward, but it was no use. Her legs gave way beneath her and she dropped to the ground. Wet eyes locked onto her brother's unconscious form, still inside the winds.

Suddenly, the wind and light exploded, throwing her backwards and rushing through the whole forest. A loud roar filled the clearing, resounding with power. Wave upon wave of wind and light washed over Sydney as she lay there.

And then, all was still. She gingerly pulled herself up and raced back to the clearing.

He was gone.

The clearing was empty, devoid of anyone save her and the trees. Tears spilled over her cheeks and she stared at where her brother had been. A heart-wrenching cry spilled from her throat and she ran to the middle of the area, dropping on her knees and sobbing relentlessly.

"NO!"

Hot tears stained her hands and clothes. She had been too late. Her brother was gone. The forest had taken him. Her crying stopped abruptly and she stood up, fists clenched, rage and aguish marring her features.

"YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME!" She screamed at the trees.

Then sorrow overtook her once more and she cried out.

"RAE!" She fell to the ground and lay there, sobbing.

They had taken him from her. They would pay. She would make them.

The plot thickens. As stated before, the next chapter will answer a lot of questions and bring the plot into focus. Hope to see then.

Hopi-chan the Pirate-Ninja


	3. Chapter Two: Into the Unknown

**Wow! Thank you all for the reviews! It's really a wonderful thing to know that your work is appreciated. Anywho, I fear in this chapter I may offend some hard core Tolkein fans. I'm not an expert on Middle Earth history before the time of the ring, so please don't flame me for twisting it to suit my purposes. Also, there is a pronunciation that could be somewhat tricky in this chapter. Because pronunciation is a fetish of mine, I'll include how to say things I think you may need at the end of each chapter. Well, that's all. Hope you enjoy! **

In the depths of an ageless forest, one who had become equally as ageless stirred. Golden leaves sailed down from the majestic trees above to brush by his body. And, in the waning evening light, the whole forest was ablaze with gold, shining like the crown of a king.

Rae's eyes opened, slowly, focusing on his surroundings. He lay in a bed of soft grass and leaves, with tall, golden trees towering above him. So then, he was in a forest. But it was not the same one he had run to that morning. Or had it been last morning?

Either way, there was something distinctly different about this forest, besides the physical attributes. A strange feeling of déjà vu racked his mind suddenly.

"_This forest…feels so familiar."_ He thought. And, more important than that, his longing, the one that he had known for so long, the very same longing that had driven him to the only place that would ease it, was gone. This was the place he had longed for, felt called to. Yes, he was sure of it.

He pushed himself to a sitting position and peered through the trees. They seemed to go on for ages, never-ending. What next? So, he was here, a place he seemed meant for, but, where was here? And how did he get here? The last few moments in the forest at home had become a blur, an unpleasant memory to be avoided.

Fortunately, or not, his mind did not have time to dwell on it. A great rustling and racket came from a little ways off, and, in short order, three creatures pushed their way to his position.

Rae's first feeling when he caught sight of the three was sickness and revolt. The first creature was huge and lumbering, with stringy, greasy hair and chafing black skin. He wore gritty, unfit armor and carried a rusted and well-worn sword in his meaty fist. His face was a misshapen mess, with small, soupy brown eyes peering from underneath a large brow.

Whatever it was, it wasn't human.

The other two weren't much better. One was short and squat, with sparse hair and gray skin. He had huge eyes, gleaming red in the afternoon light and his piggish nose sniffed the air. The third was fat and stout, with bulging pockets of flesh beneath his miss-matched armor.

The second feeling Rae had was fear. As soon as the creatures caught sight of him, it crashed like a wave against his consciousness. Too afraid to move, he simply stared, horror-stricken. The tallest one, obviously the leader, stepped forward with a feral grin and a malicious gleam in his eye.

"Look an' what we gots 'ere!" His voice was rough and grating to the ears, like an overcomplicated snarl.

The other two laughed raucously, a reviling sound. The big one stepped forward and bent down, his face inches from Rae's. His rotting breath washed over Rae and caused his eyes to water.

"We been wantin' 'ome fresh meat." He said, grinning wickedly.

A huge hand clamped around Rae's neck, cutting off his air supply. Rae's eyes widened in surprise and fear and his hands came up, frantically clutching at his captor's arm. No good. It was too strong.

The creature shook him and laughed, and Rae could make out the laughter of the other two behind him.

"Let's cut 'em open. 'S quick like, that way." That came from the short one.

"Naw,'s better ta finish 'em nice and slow. Then ya get to see 'em struggle." They all cackled at that.

Stars had started to dance across Rae's vision, and his mind was becoming fogged. He desperately tried to free himself, but he was just getting weaker and weaker. His lungs screamed for air, and ached and burned with need.

His mind raced, trying to think of some solution, of some way out. There. His eyes were drawn towards a rather wicked looked knife, sheathed in the creature's belt. If he could just reach it without the creature noticing…

His hand wrapped around the hilt and the knife came free, its length of steel glinted sharply. The creature grunted in surprise, but had no time to react. Rae drove the blade as hard as he could into the creature's throat. Black blood sprayed from the wound, but the creature was dead and Rae was released from its limp grasp.

The dead one's companions hissed in surprise and drew their own blades. Rae gasped in a breath, but he was too far gone. He could breathe now, but he was on the verge of unconsciousness.

As he succumbed to the darkness, his last waking glimpse was of two white-feathered arrows embedding themselves into the heads of the two creatures. Then he was still.

For the second time in what felt like a day, Rae awoke to a very strange setting. He was lying on a small bed of a sort on top of a mound of white and silver pillows and a few blankets. The room he lay in was very small, but enlarged by three wall-sized mirrors. The fourth wall was a door, in front of which hung lush, green vines. And, to his surprise, the ceiling was a tree branch. A glance at the floor told him he was indeed in a tree, for the floor was a branch also. He could see leaves and branches behind the mirrors too.

Startled, he rose and found himself clothed in new attire. A white robe hung on his frame over his boxers and tank top, the clothes he had on when he disappeared from the forest near his home. The strange pendant still hung from his neck, glowing slightly more intensely.

His eyes drank in the room and landed on his reflection in one of the mirrors. He sat down hard on the bed, at first thinking someone else was in the room with him, but then realizing he was starting at his own reflection. He cautiously moved towards the mirror, staring at himself in wonder.

His short, messy hair was now fawn-colored instead of its former chocolate brown. Ethereal, sage green eyes stared back at him in wonder, replacing his former hazel ones. The eyes… they looked like they belonged to someone else. They were ageless and inhuman, shining with mystery.

And what he discovered next caused him to cry out and jump back in alarm.

His ears! They were pointed, like and elf's! He turned his head to get a better look at them. Sure enough, they were longer and ended in soft, slender points. But besides his ears, there was something else. He had a strange aura now, something almost… magical.

His mind was spinning, churning over the information his eyes were feeding him. Somehow, he was an elf. Somehow.

A soft click came from the door and a young girl entered, no older than Rae's sister. She was dressed in a gown right out of a medieval storybook and, wait, she was an elf too? Yup, pointed ears were visible behind long locks of ebony hair. She bowed to Rae and straightened, grey eyes shining.

"Please come with me, milord." Rae just stared at her for a moment, unable to move. Was he really seeing what he thought he saw? Had he just been dropped into some strange, thirteenth century-type world?

The girl stood patiently, waiting, and Rae shook himself out of his trance. Seeing that he was ready to follow, she turned and headed out the door. Rae followed, somewhat hesitantly.

And, his jaw unceremoniously dropped when he exited the room. The tree they were in was enormous! It had to be several stories, and at least two hundred feet across. Delicate, twisting staircases led to the levels below and above. The branches were thick with leaves and moss making a solid floor beneath their feet. Soft lanterns hung all over gave off a pleasing blue light.

Several elves passed them as they walked, but none paid them any notice. The girl led him up a staircase to the next level of the tree. This level was considerable smaller, and the levels kept getting smaller as they ascended up two more.

As they steadily climbed, the soft, soothing blue light of the lanterns melded into a warm orange glow. The inviting light enveloped the stairs in its soft touch, illuminating the intricate carving. The stairs seemed almost too delicate to walk on.

Finally, the young girl drew to a stop and swept aside a rich mahogany curtain. She beckoned for Rae to enter, but did not herself. Rae stepped into the room and saw that he had finally come to the top.

This room was the smallest yet, but one of the most beautiful. It was decorated all in warm reds and mahoganies. Polished wood slats had been fitted together to form a regal flooring. Large, skillfully woven tapestries covered the walls, full of battles, beautiful scenery, and the culture of the elves. Lanterns hung everywhere, filling the room with light and warmth.

At the far end, an ornately carved chair atop a small dais overlooked the room. Despite the kingly chair, the overall feeling of the room was one of close companions sitting together for a heartening talk.

Rae turned his head and noticed an elf in the far corner. He wore dark brown pants and a gold embroidered, maroon tunic, along with high leather boots. His hair was light brown and rested just below his shoulders. In his hand he held a glass goblet and swished a red liquid around.

The elf turned to Rae and a warm smile broke his handsome face. He appeared in his forties, but he _was_ an elf, after all. He could be centuries old. He crossed the room to stand in front of Rae, but came no closer, though his merry eyes betrayed his desire to.

"Finally, you have come." He said, his voice full of joy. Rae looked at him quizzically.

"Can you explain to me what in the world is happening to me?" Rae questioned.

"Yes. But you must promise to ask no questions until I am finished."

Rae was puzzled, but his curiosity led him to agree.

"It is customary that, when an elven baby of noble blood is born, they be taken to Galadriel's Mirror, and allowed to look into it. Children carry the memories of the visions they see in the mirror with them, waiting to be remembered. But never has the gathering of elders and parents seen the visions too.

Eighteen years ago, a young child was born to an elven couple with noble blood. So, on the child's name day, he was taken to Galadriel's Mirror and allowed to look in. What was seen that day was glimpsed by all who accompanied the child."

Suddenly Rae's vision blurred and shifted, forming a strange image. A young, elven warrior rode a horse over endlessly stretching fields. His back was turned, preventing Rae from seeing his face. His posture was filled with urgency, driving him forward. A crystal bow was lashed carefully to the saddle, along with a quiver of white-feathered arrows. Dark, hideous hands stretched from behind the man, reaching for him as if to draw him to them. He was barely staying ahead of them.

The scene changed, this time inside a cold, stone room. A lone figure sat atop a massive throne. He was dressed in crimson robes, the color of fresh blood. Jet black hair fell down his shoulders to mingle with an equally dark beard. Thick eyebrows drew over sharp, penetrating eyes. His head shifted and he seemed to be looking straight at Rae.

Once again, the scene shifted. This time, it was an ethereal forest blanketed in moonlight. The young man of before strode beneath the trees, his back still turned. A voice drifted through the forest.

_He comes…_

_The one who sees…_

_The one who sees the truth!_

Now it was the dark-haired man again. His features were full of malice and rage as he stared at something behind Rae. The view panned and stopped as a bright light exploded. The outline of a figure, striding through the light came into view. And as the figure neared, Rae recognized it as the same man from before. But now, the man's face was visible.

Rae gazed upon his own face.

As he watched, the Rae in his vision drew the crystal bow and fitted an arrow to it. And he heard the voice again, soft and sure.

_A light shines in the darkness, and the darkness shall not overcome it._

Suddenly, Rae found himself looking at the elven man he had been talking to before the vision. Rae opened his mouth to speak, but the man silenced him.

"All will be explained. I know what it is you saw. I was there the day that you laid eyes on it for the first time. The dark man in your vision, he is Galamar. Many years ago, before you were born, he was the most promising student of the wizard order. But power and arrogance too often corrupt. He was seduced by the darkness and turned against his fellow students and teachers. It was a slaughter like no other. Of the hundreds there that day, only a handful survived. They fled to Minias Tirith, Lothlorien, and The Hall Under the Mountain, the three capital cities of men, elves, and dwarves.

There, they beseeched the residents, asking for help in bringing about Galamar's demise. The elves were the first to rise up against Galamar. And for that, we have paid a terrible price. Instead of slaughtering our forces like he did his former comrades, he seduced many elves to his cause, and they became the twisted shadow race known as orcs.

With his new forces, he launched attacks on the nations of Middle Earth. He was not content with the power he had already gained, he needed more. His forces were seemingly endless, and, as long as he fed his dark power into them, invincible.

He was a master of the shadows, and, throughout all that time, not once was his face seen by any of the forces against him. We knew that if we could only destroy Galamar, our armies would be able to conquer his own.

But none could find him. Countless warriors died in search of him. It seemed all hope was lost. But then, a child was born. And on his name day, he saw the very same vision that you just witnessed. The elves were filled with hope. That child would be the one to find Galamar and destroy him.

But Galamar had spies among them. News of the child reached him, and he set all his power against the child, attempting to destroy the baby. We, the elders of the elves, knew the child was not safe, so we did the only thing we could think of.

We sent the child to another world, one similar to our own. Disguised as a human, the child grew to manhood, unaware of his heritage. But the time came for the child, now a man, to return to his world and meet his destiny. So, after his eighteenth birthday, we brought him back.

That child, Rae, is you."

Rae sat in stunned silence, his mind desperately trying to comprehend what he had just been told.

"You mean that… I… that I'm an elf?" Rae finally managed.

"Yes. You were sent to another world for your protection." The man answered.

"So then, my real parents live here."

"Yes."

Silence reigned for a moment as Rae built up the courage to ask the questions he so desperately needed to.

"Where is my mother?" He questioned.

"She passed away." The man answered sorrowfully. Rae swallowed.

"And my father?"

The man's deep eyes locked onto Rae's own.

"I am your father. My name is Estrian. And your birth name is Raevial, 'one who sees the truth.'" Estrian answered.

"I… I can't… So… all this time…" Rae stuttered.

"We had to send you away. There was no other choice. But now you are where you belong Rae, with us, with me, in Middle Earth."

**Raevial**: Ray-v (say the letter 'v') –l (say the letter 'l'): Ray-v-l

**Estrian**: S (say the letter 's') –tree- n (say the letter 'n'): S-tree-n

**Galamar**: Gal (as in the term for a woman) –a ( 'a' as in father) –mar (the word mar: to mar one's beauty): Gal-a-mar

**Oo, oo, oo! 'Nother chappie done! I'll try and get the next ups soon. This chapter was a little long in coming because I had trouble writing the last scene with Estrian and Raevial. C ya next time! Please Review! ; **


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